Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and leading opposition candidate Gadi Eisenkot share closely aligned views on key security issues facing Israel, despite differences in their backgrounds and political styles. The two are preparing for Israel’s national election scheduled for Tuesday, the first since the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attacks that precipitated the ongoing conflict in Gaza.

Both figures prioritize national security and have framed their platforms in response to the heightened threats Israel currently faces. Polls indicate that while Israeli voters express concerns over growing settler extremism and institutional challenges, there is broad consensus on many national security matters. This shared outlook reflects a general shift toward the right on security issues in the wake of the Gaza war.

Netanyahu, a veteran politician with nearly two decades of intermittent leadership, and Eisenkot, a former military chief, converge on the importance of defending Israeli territory from Hamas and Hezbollah threats and restoring credible deterrence. Eisenkot, who established a centrist party last year, is seen as less of a direct challenge to Netanyahu’s hold on power due in part to the narrowing political space created by the electorate’s security-first stance.

Although Eisenkot acknowledges the limits and human costs associated with military action—an understanding shaped by his military career and the loss of his youngest son in Gaza—he advocates for firm security policies combined with pragmatic diplomacy. He has expressed openness to territorial exchanges as part of a potential political solution, emphasizing a balanced approach that integrates strength with realism.

Both leaders, therefore, place rebuilding military deterrence and protecting Israeli citizens at the forefront of their agendas, signaling continuity in policy direction despite their divergent personal and political approaches. This convergence on security positions underscores the centrality of defense concerns in the upcoming election and the challenges any government will face addressing Israel’s ongoing regional conflicts.